Well that's not quite correct. I spent much of the day perusing the debates on the 14th amendment, and they flat out say the 14th amendment is a naturalization process.
You can be born a citizen, but only because congress created a naturalization statute that takes effect when you are born.
You aren't a natural citizen, you are a congress made "naturalized" citizen.
All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.
No, two problems with that. One, the 14th Amendment is part of the Constitution, and not a mere naturalization law. And two, it was intended to give freed slaves citizenship and resolve that question. That was all the intent of the amendment. It did not structure and create a situation where there is a whole new class of citizens. In it’s very text it even differentiates between naturalized citizens and citizens by birth. That phrase would not have been needed if they intended the amendment to make all the slaves, regardless of their US birth, to all be naturalized. They knew how to write clearly. They could have easily simply declared that all freed slaves were now naturalized citizens. They didn’t.
And no court has ever agreed with that novel theory about the 14th amendment. And nothing in the Constitution says anything further than NBC or Naturalized. If you aren’t one, you are the other. If there was some third level of born here, but not eligible for President, they would have said so.
I’m afraid no court, anywhere, agrees with the debate position you referenced. This debate really does devolve into the gold fringe on the flag kind of “King of the Hill” Dale thinking.
All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.
No, two problems with that. One, the 14th Amendment is part of the Constitution, and not a mere naturalization law. And two, it was intended to give freed slaves citizenship and resolve that question. That was all the intent of the amendment. It did not structure and create a situation where there is a whole new class of citizens. In it’s very text it even differentiates between naturalized citizens and citizens by birth. That phrase would not have been needed if they intended the amendment to make all the slaves, regardless of their US birth, to all be naturalized. They knew how to write clearly. They could have easily simply declared that all freed slaves were now naturalized citizens. They didn’t.
And no court has ever agreed with that novel theory about the 14th amendment. And nothing in the Constitution says anything further than NBC or Naturalized. If you aren’t one, you are the other. If there was some third level of born here, but not eligible for President, they would have said so.
I’m afraid no court, anywhere, agrees with the debate position you referenced. This debate really does devolve into the gold fringe on the flag kind of “King of the Hill” Dale thinking.